Milano Unica visitor attendance increases 5.5%

The Milan Exhibition of quality Italian and European fabrics and accessories registered an attendance of about 19,000 visitors (a 5.5% rise over the February 2012 edition, mostly due to an increase in Italian clients).

Foreign visitors showed a slight decline (-2%, after being on the rise in the last two editions), perhaps due to the Chinese New Year or the Textile Fair in Munich during the same period.

We would like to point out the significant rise in percentage of visitors from: Japan (+25%), USA (+20%), India (+19%), Mexico (+19%), Finland (+16%), Turkey (+6.5%) and Switzerland (+3%).

Hong Kong and Great Britain maintain the highest figures, while for the first time buyers from Kazakhstan, Colombia, South Africa and Angola were present.

“The increase in attendance, in quality and quantity – confirms Silvio Albini, President of Milano Unica – together with the general satisfaction of exhibitors, is immensely gratifying for all of us who have worked incessantly for the success of the Italian Textile Fair. It is also an important signal for the Italian and European quality textile markets.

“The combined presence of Italian clothing manufacturers and international buyers from important countries makes us look towards the future with more optimism. Even if we do not have to conceal the numerous obstacles which often inhibit a continuous and solid recovery, the interest that was sparked by the fabric and accessory collections presented at this edition, lead us to take an optimistic outlook based on reason and not only on willpower”.

“Large amounts of new contacts, sample requests, appointments scheduled at company headquarters - continues Silvio Albini – demonstrate that aside from us, there is an important world that looks towards our firms with great interest that can help consolidate the present and project the future. As Sir Paul Smith so effectively showed us, we have to innovate our means of communication above all, knowing that our new horizon of reference is the world. We will begin to put this into practice at the end of March when we take Milano Unica to Beijing, putting our exhibitors face to face with continuous growth, which today, together with Hong Kong represents our second market outlet on an international level”.

“I would also like to express the appreciation of our international guests– concludes the President of Milano Unica – for the extraordinary concert conducted by Maestro Zubin Mehta with the Orchestra del Maggio Fiorentino, and the initiative organized by Canepa to illustrate the innovations adopted to save water and energy in the textile production process, further confirming the attention that Milano Unica and participating firms have demonstrated to the problems related to a sustainable environment”.